- Hon Shane Jones
An emergency fishery closure around Otago Peninsula to protect northern hoiho has been extended for nine months, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says.
The decision extends the closure to 16 September 2026.
"I have extended this closure to set-net fishing to make sure we get the settings for longer-term measures right. All the options and feedback must be carefully reviewed because this is a move that cannot be rushed," Mr Jones says.
The measures are currently being consulted on.
"We need to strike the right balance between reducing accidental fishing bycatch of hoiho while not unfairly impacting fishers who work hard to provide for their families and communities," Mr Jones says.
"When I put in place the initial three-month closure in September this year, it was anticipated that longer-term measures could be decided upon in this period. However, due to a legal challenge of the emergency closure by an environmental group, key scientists and officials' efforts were redirected to responding to litigation rather than focusing on hoiho protection. This is unfortunate as these delays increase the uncertainty for affected commercial fishers and do nothing to help the hoiho population."
Hoiho, yellow-eyed penguin, are a taonga species and the northern population, encompassing hoiho on the mainland and Rakiura/Stewart Island, is threatened.
The nine-month extension is for the same area that is currently closed. It bans set-net fishing out to about eight nautical miles around Otago Peninsula, the area that has the highest risk of hoiho bycatch.
"While the extension is until September next year, I anticipate receiving advice from my officials early in 2026, and I will make a decision on the longer-term measures that will replace the emergency closure soon after that," Mr Jones says.
The consultation on longer-term measures is open until 12 December 2025.
More information, including how to make a submission on longer-term measures, can be found on MPI's website https://www.mpi.govt.nz/consultations/further-measures-to-reduce-fisheries-bycatch-of-hoiho-yellow-eyed-penguin
